


Intact Skin, Bleeding Heart

by Dalthrin



Category: Original Work
Genre: Avatar-inspired bending, But hey that's just life sometimes, But just like... barely covering the essentials, Creative uses of bending, Demons, Elemental Bending, Iaijutsu, Implied Relationships, Kendo, Kiai, M/M, Magic, Magic and Bending are not the same tho, Martial Arts, Overuse of dashes and italics, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, References to Assault, Slow Burn, Soulmate-identifying... non-marks?, Soulmates, Swords, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:34:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26756593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dalthrin/pseuds/Dalthrin
Summary: "Gay couple accidentally adopts God". That's it. That's the plot. Well, either that or "Soulmate AU and demonic shenanigans and elemental bending and swordsmanship and The Author's Barely Disguised Fantasy held together by coffee and duct tape". Doesn't quite roll off the tongue, does it? Then again, pretty much no fantasy premise does when you put it like that.This is as much a story for you as it is lesson for me; on what I've lost, what I've gained, and what I could still become. Who or wherever you are, if I can incite a single good emotion from you as you scroll through my pages, it will all have been worth it.
Relationships: Haldorath/Reito
Comments: 5
Kudos: 4





	1. Prelude

**Author's Note:**

> This all started when a reddit writing prompt met a lousy attempt at self-insert mashed up with some incredible inspirations I came across online, and it was to be just that. But some very dear friends of mine looked through the murk and saw the spark of potential, and urged that I gave it a chance to grow into something more. Four months and some really rushed lessons in worldbuilding and martial arts later, here we are, and let's see where it takes us. This is still a WIP and I'll upload new chapters as they're written.

The flash of lightning aimed straight at Reito, like an eagle diving for its prey. He made a desperate leap to the left, and the bolt struck the wall behind him with explosive force, punching a whole cleanly through it. He jabbed the air with his katana three times in quick succession, and three icy spears launched towards his opponent. Still with perfect composure, the other man instantly relaxed his body, followed by a gentle, flowing movement of his outstretched arms. Like a performer obeying her conductor, the ice shifted back into water, curled around his body, then sped back to its creator. Reito was able to parry it in the nick of time, but the force of the attack pushed him back all the same.

In hindsight, accepting to duel the chieftain that has opposed his tribe for generations might not have been the brightest decision.

==========

Their feud had been going on for centuries, for reasons none now lived could recall. Reito grew up spending every waking moment with a blade in his hand, and more than once had he wondered what was even the point of it all. His family filled his head with propaganda, but none of them could pinpoint exactly why this mess must go on. The war was all their people could talk about, and any idea of negotiation or resolution was met with disdain, as if they thrived on the conflict. 

Still, he was a combat prodigy, and the thought of disappointing all the love and adoration their people had put upon him was too much to bear. So he ground his teeth and carried on, believing that he would finally have peace when they defeated the opposing tribe.

What an amazing lie that was.

Year after year, battle after battle, and at twenty-six years of age he was no closer to winning this war than when he was five and accidentally froze the room while sneezing. Despite all his efforts to keep an open mind, the leader of the opposing tribe grounded his gear more and more with each rock wall they raised to block his troops, each gale they blew to halt his advance. And thus it was with the utmost irony that the solution came from the very person he was trying to beat.

The raven came at night, quiet as a shadow, carrying with it a single scroll of parchment:

_“Crown prince Reito,_

_I hope this letter finds you well. I do wish we could have spoken in person, but alas, political unrest makes clandestine trysts and shadowy meetings in alcoves so terribly difficult to come by, much less hear talk of. Take heed of the prudent example of the esteemed Lady Anne Boleyn, when she sought to discontinue her sordid affairs with Viscount Lisle only to end up being- and now that I have put to sleep anyone who intercepts this with a hidden spell in that passage, let us discuss business._

_I know you are tired of this war. Of the bloodshed, of the violence of it all. I have never had a bonding trip into the woods with my father, nor a warm night by the fire to hear elders talk about tales of the land, and I know you have not, either. Do you not yearn for it? Do you not collapse in bed everyday, sore all over, wondering what else could be out there? All we ever talk about, all we are ever taught to do, is fight. And honestly? It grows tedious. And no, I am most certainly not bitter that I found a painting of two young lovers quietly moon gazing. Perish the thought._

_Still, that does not mean that I plan to relinquish all of my power and people to you, and I expect the same sentiment from you. Henceforth, I would like to make a proposal, a way to end this feud that has stayed far past its welcome. My scholars have successfully uncovered the Obowiązek Zaklęcie, a magical contract so powerful that demons of Hell themselves must obey its terms. Consent, and we shall arrange a duel between us both, whose victor will acquire the unconditional surrender and submission of the opposing leader and tribe. This would end this pointless conflict in one fell swoop._

_Skeptical? I do not blame you, it shows a penchant for logic. But logic, spells and arcane dealings make for a very ill-tasting cocktail indeed. Bear with me though, we can make it taste sweet just yet._

_Inscribed at the end of this parchment is a rudimentary version of that contract. Feel free to try it on someone who would absolutely not do what you order, and see for yourself. Fear not, for I have limited its capabilities to silly acts of jest only._

_Give that spell a try and let me know what you think. Just speak my name, and this raven will seek you out._

__

_Yours in anticipation,_

_Chieftain Haldorath.”_

==========

That had been two moons ago. After extensive testing of the spell and further correspondence with the chieftain (many of which Reito vowed must never leave his drawer) they had agreed to an honorable duel, with all of their citizens bearing witness. And now here he was, in a confrontation that all of his ancestors would have killed for, yet finding himself strangely exhilarated. And not in the finally-a-chance-to-end-this-once-and-for-all way, but something else. Something that pulled him back to nights alone in his bedchamber, watching the skies for black wings unfurled.

A flaming whip forced him out of his musings, and Reito quickly made an upward pointing motion with his left hand, raising a wall of ice to shield himself, but the heat of the attack still melted off half his barrier and blew hotly on his face. Trying to go on the offense, he performed a flurry of slashes, each one causing a razor-sharp sheet of ice to break from the wall and fly at his opponent. Haldorath’s confidence faltered for the first time as he attempted to keep up with the increasingly rapid barrage. Finally, deciding against evasion, he stomped the ground in quick, powerful steps as his fist curled, drawing earth and rocks up around him in a protective dome. Taking advantage of the down time, Reito shaped the ice wall into a thin layer on the ground, then skidded forward. Putting all his strength and momentum into the attack, he stopped right before the rock dome and gave a devastating horizontal slash. As the blade cleaved through the stone, he followed up with another slash, and another, until Haldorath was exposed again.

It soon became clear to Reito that the chieftain was not familiar with close combat, having relied too much on his elemental abilities to keep threats at bay. Emboldened, he kept hacking away at the other man, who was now forced on the defensive. The close quarters prevented Haldorath from fully executing his devastating sweeps and twirls, and so he resorted to mainly guarding himself, with the occasional jab or thrust that was easily negated by Reito's thirsty blade. Finally, after blocking a particularly strong attack from his right, he realized too late that his front was open, and his face collided head on with Reito's fist.

And then… nothing.

No blood, no pain, no recoil. Reito might as well have hit him with a feather for all the damage it did.

He looked at Reito, seeing his confusion mirrored in the other man. They were still in a duel, however, and he quickly jumped back with a gust of air to put some distance between them. Yet when Reito charged in for another attempt, a thought suddenly struck his mind.

No. I can't be, can it?

When reminiscing about what happened next, Haldorath was sure he had been possessed, for as Reito raised his blade to strike him down, he dropped all his guard and allowed the attack to connect. 

The cold steel glazed him harmlessly, as lethal as a veil of satin.

The two men have now dropped all pretense of continuing the fight, both staring into the other's eyes wordlessly. As understanding dawned inside him, Haldorath felt the familiar sting of tears prickling at his eyes. Unable to withstand the intensity any longer, he threw a massive plume of fire into the grown, and fled as flames engulfed the arena. 

He knew that not even a hair on Reito's head would be burned.

==========

"Please tell me you found something," Reito said, his voice bordering on a whine. He had been held in the infirmary all day until they were completely sure he was unharmed. And, somehow, he inexplicably was.

"Yes. I just need some confirmation from you." His brother, Hairyu, said with a smile. Reito felt a twinge of unease coiling around his stomach: there was a barest hint of mischief in Hairyu's eyes.

"Like what?"

"Just to be sure, neither you nor him could harm each other, right?"

"Yeah, pretty much. I was standing right in the middle of an explosion and it didn't even sting." Reito shrugged. 

Hairyu was positively gleeful now. He leaned in closer, grinning: "Tell me, dear brother, have you ever heard of soulmates?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For all of you who gave this a chance and read it this far, I thank you, sincerely. But I must save my most sincere gratitude with the very friends who had set me on this path, who insisted I gave myself a chance. If you're reading this, yes it means you!


	2. Meet The Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reito and Haldorath's respective families react to their new situation, with varying degrees of amusement.

“So… I have some news,” said Reito, stepping into their shared study.

“Look, Reito, I’m really not in the mood to hear about another one of your courtships,” replied Hairyu, looking up from his notes. At his brother’s amused expression, however, he wrinkled his nose and breathed a long-suffering sigh. “Alright, fine. Just rip the bandage off: who is it this time?”

“Well I wouldn’t call it a courtship, but I _have_ decided to arrange a meeting with Haldorath the day after tomorrow.” 

“I changed my mind, keep the bandage on.”

The elder prince could not hold back a laugh. “You think it’s a bad idea?”

“Reito, accepting to duel him one-on-one was a bad idea. _This_ ,” Hairyu waved his hand vaguely in between them, “is downright insane.”

“What’s the worst that could possibly happen? It’s not like he can actually hurt me.”

“Who said anything about him? Or have you forgotten those assassins that wrecked your coming-of-age ceremony?” 

The scar on Reito’s right eyebrow twitched at the thought. “Of course I haven’t, but I made it out just fine. And the lasses dig this scar.” He waggled his brows and grinned at his unimpressed brother. “Plus, that is what bodyguards are for.”

“Wouldn’t do you much good if the ground just swallows them up,” Hairyu muttered, although he hoped Haldorath would not actually do something so horrific. Tried as he might, he could not help finding the man… honorable. 

“So what is the purpose of this meeting? Diplomatic relations? More peace negotiations? Or are you going to have a candlelit dinner and talk about your feelings?” Hairyu only meant for the last one to be a joke, but the corners of Reito’s lips curled up almost imperceptibly as he ran a hand through his spiky hair. _Interesting_.

“I have a legitimate reason, actually,” Reito said, all hints of mirth suddenly lost from his voice, like a candle flame snuffed out by the wind. He brought up a map of island of Sor, and pointed to the thin strip of land to the east of their tribe. “Last night our tribesmen were ambushed while going on errands in Musch Harbor. Ambushed by elemental attacks,” he added, brows furrowing. “It has long been agreed that the Harbor is to remain neutral ground, and so if Haldorath and his men were behind this, the meeting might be a lot less romantic than you have hoped,” Reito finished with a chuckle, though it was devoid of humor.

“Were there, um, any casualties?” the seventeen-year-old asked, lips pressed into a thin line.

“Mostly burns and cuts. They are being treated at an infirmary there, and I will collect further information from them once I arrive.” Reito rolled up the map, the matters settled for now. “Alright, I’ll see you at dinner. I have to start packing.”

“Good luck then,” Hairyu said, then after a few seconds added, “In both situations.”

Despite himself, Reito couldn’t help a thin smile. “Thanks.”

==========

The War Council was in disarray. 

Shouts thrown from all sides, insults flung like boulders, one could have easily mistaken it for a drunken tavern brawl.

Haldorath massaged his temples, feeling a migraine already coming up. He was about to tell a room full of men twice his age to actually behave, when the front doors suddenly flew open.

A tall, elegant woman sauntered in, long golden hair cascaded down her shoulder like a waterfall, while her fierce green eyes effortlessly returned all the daggers they were glaring at her. With the grace of a songstress, she stood at the other end of the table, easily commanding attention.

“Alexi **s** ,” Haldorath dragged out the ‘s’, his lips barely parted, his tone unreadable. “Your presence was requested quite some time ago.”

“Forgive my manners, my Chieftain, but I simply could not fathom what use such a powerful leader, and his many captains, could have for one as humble as myself,” Alexis replied, her voice indicating she was anything but. “Although, now that I have witnessed the _charming_ decorum of your court, perhaps I could offer my insights after all.”

“And what insight is that?” 

“Why have you still not taken a bride?”

A deathly silence instantly descended upon the room, and tiny tendrils of steam swirled from Haldorath’s water goblet.

“What did you say?”

“You’re in your prime, the war is not showing any sign of stopping soon, and you must plan for an heir in case you don’t see the end of it. And we certainly do not lack in eligible bachelorettes,” Alexis smiled, her eyes offering promises and threats. “So why have you not? Unless the rumors are true…”

“Enough!” Haldorath abruptly stood up, the ground trembling under him. “I will speak with you alone. In my room.” He turned and left without another word.

Alexis smirked and followed, fully aware of the eyes trailing her. Good. She had spent an extra hour in the morning to work on her appearance, and she would be most displeased if some courtroom drama could steal her spotlight.

***

Haldorath sat in his seat by the fireplace and took slow, deep breaths. The flames rose and fell in rhythm with his chest and, finally deciding he was calm enough, he opened his eyes to the sight of Alexis standing before him.

“Yes?” she began casually, only to be greeted by silence and an arched eyebrow.

“Ugh, fine. You wished to speak to me, my Chieftain?”

“What. Was. That?” Haldorath gritted out, though more from annoyance than anger.

“Um, you’re welcome? If it hadn’t been for _your sister’s_ genius we would probably be excavating those old geezers from under a pile of rubble by now,” Alexis huffed, all authoritative bravado gone. “Trust me, twenty five years with you is enough time to know when you’re about to cave in a room.”

“But was it necessary to bring up my situation? What if word gets out? Also, you were missing for a big chunk of them, _my Lady_.” Now safe in the privacy of his quarters, Haldorath allowed his voice to climb several octaves to match his exasperation.

“Mkay Hal, first of all, I was away for an _immersive experience_ ," Alexis said with a pointed wave of both index fingers. "And second, what makes you think it hasn’t? I mean, half the tribe saw your duel.”

“They were all far away! For all they knew Reito could have missed me… twice.”

“Um, tell that to the light show you did at the end, Haldorath.” Alexis was having so much fun riling her brother up. “I haven’t seen anyone looking so fresh and dashing after getting a fireball to the face.”

“Alright, can you, like, not fawn over my soulmate, please?” The regret hit him instantly as the words left his mouth, and Alexis’s devious grin only sealed his doom.

“Uggh!” He buried his face in his hands, not caring how juvenile that made him look.

“Do stop moping, Hal, or nobody would believe you're three years my elder. Look on the bright side: you’re getting to meet him tomorrow!”

Haldorath’s head immediately flew up. “What?!”

“Yeah, apparently there has been an attack at Musch Harbor and they’re blaming us, so if you don’t want them to start marching down our doors you should probably get ready.” Alexis said cheerfully, handing him a sheet of parchment.

“Is this… from Reito? Why didn’t you hand it to me earlier?” 

“Well I had to know what he’s like, Haldorath! He’s going to be my brother-in-law, after all.”

Haldorath’s facial expressions went on a whole journey before he looked down at the letter again, and then right back up when he saw the opening lines.

“This is magically protected though?”

“And when has that ever stopped me?” Alexis smiled and, with a flick of her hair, she turned and strode out of the room. “Leave the council to me, you go ahead and spiral and pine for your _soulmate_.”

Alone in his bedchambers, Haldorath read Reito’s letter, his mind a whirling cocktail of emotions. Aggravated assault, sabotage attempts, and a budding hint of something more, Musch seemed to be setting itself up for quite some drama indeed. He rolled up the parchment and stashed it in the same compartment as Reito’s other correspondences, and wondered if something was meant to set sail, now that they were both headed to a harbor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A map of all the places where the events of this story will take place can be found here: https://imgur.com/cKdKHEC


	3. I Am That Which Grips The Heart In Fright

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A simple investigation quickly spiraled out of control, as Reito and Haldorath get a glimpse of the shadows behind creation.

Musch Harbor was a small, seaside town; the sort where one woke up to the chatter of fishermen returning from their trip, and fell asleep to the lullaby of the waves. Occasionally a peculiar vessel might stop by, bringing with her strange stories from stranger lands. On this morning, however, the usual bustle seemed more subdued, almost stifled. As people huddled together in groups and hurried by while throwing furtive glances at him, Reito felt a small twinge of lamentation, for the war seemed to have crept into the last neutral ground they had left. He managed to stop a few passersby to ask for directions, but received little more than agitated whispers and hasty instructions. The overall atmosphere faintly reminded him of a herd that had been attacked by a wolf the night before.

His suspicions turned out to be true, for he turned around a corner to the infirmary only to find it completely cordoned off. Warnings were written across the walls, and the front windows were barricaded. Thankfully, the door was not locked. A single push of his hand opened it ajar, but then Reito suddenly yanked it back like he had been burned: the wood was neither warm nor cold, it was just… numb. He looked at his fingers, and it was as if all colors had been drained from them. He nudged the door fully open with little trouble, but an ashen shadow clouded his heart.

Keeping one hand on his sword, he carefully stepped into the building. It was obvious that a great violence took place here: furniture scattered around the floor as if thrown aside by a stampeding bull, and there were at least a few scorch marks visible on almost every surface. And of course, the unmistakable acrid tang of blood drifted through the air like a convoluted perfume. Reito stepped into the next room, and immediately felt his breakfast threatening to make a return: on one of the beds was a human corpse, charred beyond recognition save for the vague body shape. Perhaps it was both a curse and a blessing that he could not tell if their clothing was from his tribe.

Turning his eyes from the grim visage, he walked quickly across the room and to the other side, and was greeted by a long, narrow corridor. That was when he heard it: the soft voices of a hush conversation. There was a door at the very end of the corridor, and that was where the sound was coming from, just like the beginning of every bad horror story he had read.

With every muscle in his body coiled like a spring, he slowly made his way down the hallway. The voices continued for a while, before they ended with the sound of a door closing, and all was still once more. Still gripping the handle of his sword, he crossed the final steps and entered the room. And then, he saw the last thing he expected to see.

A tall, blonde woman stood in front of him, her eyes viewing him with a strange intensity. A small smirk danced at the corner of her lips, and she pressed the back of her hand to her chin, as if pondering an exquisite piece of accessory. She looked completely at ease, and utterly out of place for this desolate building.

“Please tell me you’re not responsible for all of this,” Reito finally said tentatively.

“Oh, you’re flattering me.” The woman laughed bashfully, as if they were in a cozy roadside tavern. “But no, I can’t do something like this quite yet.”

“Oh. Alright,” Reito said, his eyes darkening. Either she was lying, or this meant there was only one suspect left…

“And before you get all broody and angsty about it,” she continued as if reading his mind, “my brother didn’t do it either, I’ve been with him the whole time. Plus, contrary to what people think, Hal doesn’t like property damage.”

Reito did a double take. “Wait, Hal? As in...”

“Haldorath, yes. And I-” she extended her right hand with a flourish-“am Alexis, Haldorath’s sister and life coach.”

“Good… good to meet you, Alexis.” He took her hand in his and gave it a light kiss, the tension in him loosening slightly. “I’m Reito, crown prince of the Yax tribe.”

“Aww, aren’t you just the picture of class and decorum!” she smacked his arm playfully. “So anyway, we came here for that meeting you requested, but then… well you saw it for yourself. So we decided to just head inside the building and find out what we can.”

“And did you?”

Alexis grimaced. “There was nobody left in the first few rooms we went in, but then we turned a corner and there was a corpse right there, with someone _eating_ it.”

“I’m sorry?” Reito desperately hoped he had misheard.

“Yup,” she sighed. “It ran as soon as it saw us, but we were finally able to corner it in there.” She pointed to the closed door behind her. “Haldorath’s assessing the situation.”

“What is there to assess? You’ve trapped it now, so let’s just kill it!” Reito said, impatience creeping into his voice. 

“If only it were that easy,” said a voice from behind Alexis, and then the man himself stepped out of the room. Dark eyes, brown hair, lean jawline; the man looked just like the last time Reito saw him, if a bit more grim. Their eyes met for a second, and the ghost of a smile flashed across Haldorath's face. “Hello.”

“Hey,” Reito replied, then cleared his throat. “I was just getting acquainted with your sister here.”

“Mmm, clearly,” Haldorath replied, then his eyes darted to hers, their faces twitching in a silent conversation. He then heaved a sigh and added: “So I guess we owe you some explanation. The people here were killed by firebending, yes, but the one that Alexis and I have been chasing all morning?” his voice turned grim. “It was a little girl.”

Reito was sure he went through ten different emotions in half as many seconds. He finally settled for a choked out “What?”

Haldorath pinched the top of his nose. “Exactly. Couldn’t have been older than seven, the implications of which are plainly horrifying. Bu **t** ,” he added, placing emphasis on the ‘t’, “due to the fact that nobody can fully use bending before they're mentally ready, we managed to keep our assumptions in check, and we were right.” Here he exhaled a breath of relief. “She’s innocent. It’s a demon that’s responsible, and it’s possessing her to use as a hostage.”

“A.. demon? I thought they were just a myth?” Reito said weakly, glimpses of his bedtime fairy tales flashing across the panorama of his mind.

“So did we, until now,” Haldorath and Alexis said in uncanny unison.

“But wait, how did you confirm there was a demon inside her? Was there some ancient, complicated Bryon ritual to verify possessions?” 

“No, she spoke with the voice of an older male,” Haldorath deadpanned.

Reito’s head recoiled slightly from the whiplash. “Oh… well alright then.” 

Haldorath gave a small chuckle at his reaction. “So now all that’s left to do is to coax it out of her so we can kill it.”

“Yes, exactly,” Alexis said with a flick of her wrist, then turned to Reito. “Quick question though, do you know how to perform an exorcism?”

“I… no. Until a minute ago I still thought demons weren’t real,” Reito said helplessly.

“Okay.” Alexis pressed her lips into a thin line, then looked to her brother, whose face had become shrouded with darkness once more. A few tense seconds passed before Reito could no longer stay silent. “Sorry, can someone tell me what’s happening?”

“Well, we can’t exorcise the demon from the girl’s body, and we can’t kill it right now without killing her as well. It’s effectively holed up inside its cave,” Haldorath said.

“And how do you lure out an animal that’s fled deep into its home?” Alexis continued, looking at Reito expectantly, and understanding dawned in him.

“With bait,” he finished. “But what can we possibly have to offer a demon in here?”

Alexis’s face twisted into a forced smile. “You’re not gonna like this”, she said as her brother gestured towards his own body.

Reito felt the whiplash coming back with a vengeance. “You’re offering YOURSELF?” The last word was just short of a shout.

“Why not? Who wouldn’t want a taste of this?” Haldorath shimmied his shoulders a little, then became stern. “Seriously though, think about it: The demon can’t use any of its power while inside the girl because _she_ can’t bend, and then comes a guy who can not only bend one, but four elements? Unless it wants to be sealed in a dark vault somewhere with the girl forever, it would be a fool not to accept.”

“Ok, let’s assume for a second that it buys all of that.” Which Reito honestly thought it wouldn’t. “What then?”

“Well, then you get to beat the living daylights out of him, and maybe settle that little duel once and for all,” Alexis said with far more glee than was appropriate for the context.

Reito was sure his eyebrows were trying to climb off his forehead. “And have you both conveniently forgotten that neither he nor I can hurt each other?”

“See, now that’s where it gets interesting,” Haldorath said with sudden enthusiasm. “The old texts claim that we cannot hurt each other, intentionally or not, but there has been no recorded case of one side of the soulmates _sharing_ their soul. So theoretically, any possibility can happen, including but not limited to us fully being able to injure each other just like any other cou- people.”

If Reito noticed the slip, he did not show it. Still, he remained skeptical. “And what if the worst-case-scenario happens? What if we still can’t hurt one another, and now there's an invincible firebending demon on the loose?”

“Well, that’s what I’m here for,” Alexis said, her fingers twirling a strand of her hair. “If this little quarrel of yours gets out of hand, I’ll just swoop in and save the day.”

“And you’re sure you can take your brother?” Reito could not help the incredulity in his voice.

“I didn’t get banished from my tribe for nothing, you know,” Alexis said darkly, though her smile never wavered.

“Banished?”

“Yes, and it’s nothing you need to concern yourself with right now,” Haldorath chimed in. “Just know that one day she simply came back and declared her banishment lifted, and none could stop her,” he finished with a touch of fondness and, wow, Reito would definitely need to revisit this conversation later.

“So, are we all in agreement to do this?” Haldorath asked and received two nods in return, one more hesitant than the other.

“Alright, come with me.” He turned around and walked into the room, with Alexis and Reito behind him. 

It was large and dimly lit, but seemed to be a ward, with beds and shelves thrown haphazardly across the floor. In the center, buried in the stone floor up to her chest, was a little girl with a blue flower in her hair. She looked incredibly young and frail, and her face flushed from struggling to escape the earth’s unrelenting grip. The imagery would have been absolutely heart-wrenching, were she not cursing at the three of them with expletives vulgar enough to make a sailor blush. She fixed her gaze on Haldorath, her eyes a starless night sky.

“ **Are you sure you’re not the one tormenting her? Every twist, every squirm she makes jabs her body against the hard stone. The pain is exquisite.** ”

Wordlessly, Haldorath held up a small flame in one hand, and a fabric doll in another. He kept both close to the girl’s face, and for a split second her face seemed to soften. But then her voice turned guttural once more.

“ **Ha! She whimpers for her beloved toy! She pines for her childhood in the sun! You twist the knife in well!** ”

“But don’t you see what I can do, demon?” Haldorath said, his voice saccharine. “Would you not prefer to command the elements as easily as I do? Don’t you just _love_ what a strong, powerful weapon can do in the right hands?”

The girl sneered and spat in his face.

“ **And whose hands? Yours? You are old and _used goods_. There’s no fun corrupting you, the child’s purity is what makes her so _sumptuous_.**”

Haldorath gave a nonchalant shrug, “You can always back out and reenter the girl if you don’t like what you see. Or do you think you can’t-”

His voice suddenly caught in his throat and he wheezed violently, as if choked by an invisible hand. The girl’s head dropped onto her chest as she fell unconscious, and Haldorath turned back to his companions, eyes bereft of all light.

“ **I stand corrected. You will do. You will do very well indeed.** ”

“He’s all yours.” Alexis walked out of the door and slammed it shut behind her, just in time to drown out Reito’s indignant squawk.

The eyes of predators met.

Reito drew his sword and assumed a defensive stance, each muscle taut as a cat’s. The demon moved its body in awkward jerks, as if forgotten how to use its limbs. But then something seemed to click into place, and it turned sideways at him. An instant later, a thrust of its left arm and foot sent a flaming orb directly at him.

The patient cat finally pounced. Quickly, precisely, Reito sidestepped the fireball, then lunged at his opponent. If its body was still functioning similar to Haldorath’s, then close combat would put it at a disadvantage.

As if sensing his intention, the demon quickly changed its tactics. Like a lock clicking into place, it instantly assumed a fierce stance and launched a series of fast punches accompanied by knee kicks to send a volley of fire projectiles at him, slowly gaining on him with each forward step. Vaguely reminded of their last fight, Reito decided to alter his style lest he ended up in the same fate. He brought up the same ice pillar to ward off the initial attack, but then kept raising it higher and higher. Finally, he gave a downward chop with his hand, and the pillar tore at the ceiling with a horrendous creak as it came crashing forward, seemingly poised to crush everything in its path.

The demon adapted to a waterbending form a split second too late as it scrambled to turn the ice back into water, and the immense momentum of the liquid slammed into its body, washing it straight off its feet. Coughing and spluttering, it unsteadily stood up and glared at Reito, fear and fury burning in equal measure in the dark void of its eyes. Before it could react, the swordsman stabbed the drenched floor with his sword and it instantly froze over, the ice creeping up the demon’s legs and held it in place. As it screamed from the frostbite, Reito could not help a small chuckle.

“Guess you just don’t love me, huh?”

The teasing note in his voice sent the demon over the edge, and it performed a gesture that made all the hair on Reito’s neck stand on end; its arms moved in a circular motion, and sparks danced from its fingers. Reito unfroze the ice at his feet to give himself a more solid footing, and prepared to leap sideways at the moment of the lightning’s discharge. But then - as the demon pointed its index and middle finger at him - an explosion went off right in front of its hand and blasted it cleanly off the ice, throwing it several meters backwards. Wasting not a second, Reito brought the ice up around the demon, encasing its lower body completely. He quickly approached it and, concentrating all his power in his palms, he reached out and grabbed both sides of its face.

The skin on Haldorath’s face remained clear and healthy, but the demon still screamed as though ice was eating through its flesh. It jerked its head violently, but Reito maintained his grip. Its voice turned hoarse and raspy, but Reito maintained his grip. It tried to breathe a gust of flame at him, but Reito’s hand moved to its mouth and maintained his grip.

Suddenly, Haldorath’s eyes cleared. A darkness fell upon the room as his shadow began to lengthen, until from within it crept a nightmare personified.

It looked vaguely humanoid, though stretched to grotesque proportions. Its arms and legs twisted and bent at an impossible number of joints, and at what should have been a face sat a curved, avian beak atop a soft, almost spongy neck. Though the visage was terrifying, it spoke in a pained, desperate tone.

“ **Clever will only get you so far, _mortola_! If you only knew how much it he _truly_ felt for-**”

“Alright, that’s enough out of you.”

The demon suddenly fell to its knees, clutching and clawing at its throat. It frantically gasped for air like a drowning man, its skin turning more and more pale by the second.

Reito turned to see Haldorath already on his feet beside him, performing a continuous sweeping motion with his arms. As the demon’s eyes began to bulge and its body convulsed, a horrifying realization dawned upon him: their duel could have ended very quickly had Haldorath truly wanted it to.

Haldorath finished with a skyward raise of his arm, and the demon crumbled to a lifeless heap on the floor as the last molecules of air drained from its lungs. 

A plank fell from the barricaded window, and bright sunlight beamed into the room.

Silence.

“The girl!” Reito said with a start, but Haldorath was already walking towards her. With a decisive stomp of his foot, the earth released its grip on her and she fell into his waiting arms. Her breathing was labored and tired, but her face was visibly more human, and the hint of a smile danced in her lips.

“We have to find help for her,” Reito said. Then he turned to the door and called out “Alexis! It’s done!”

The little girl winced slightly from the loud sound, and Haldorath gave him a withering glance.

==========

“Eventful day,” Reito chuckled as he and Haldorath sat at their table. Both men were too exhausted to head back home straight away, and Alexis had decided to leave first to overlook the hot mess that was her brother’s court.

Haldorath smiled in agreement. “It ended with more bodies than I preferred, but at least we now know who was behind your tribesmen’s attack.”

A shadow fell across both men's faces. Reito would have a lot of hurt families to console when he returned. “So, um…” he said, attempting to change the subject, “when the demon tried to use lightning on me, do you know why it didn’t work?”

Haldorath could feel the heat in his cheek rising. It would be so easy to just tell Reito a lie. Improper form, the demon’s own incompetence, or even something completely made up. It would be so easy, and safe, to just lie. And yet…

“Lightning generation requires peace of mind.” He took a deep breath. “If there is even a slightest hint of inner turmoil, it won’t work. And mine is far from slightest.”

“Really? And what kind of angst could ever hope to trouble the great Chieftain?” Reito asked teasingly. 

Haldorath gave him a deadpan look. “I honestly don’t know,” he said, then launched a stream of fire straight at Reito.

As the flames cracked and sizzled around him harmlessly, Reito’s eyes met the Chieftain’s. Their mouth slowly curled upwards until finally, at the absurdity of it all, they could do naught but dissolve into a giggling fit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title inspired by the quest "Sword of Ajunta Pall" in the game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and I totally recommend it for RPG fans - best plot twist I've ever seen. 
> 
> On another note, the demon's description is based on [this illustration in the Dictionnaire Infernal](http://fantastic.library.cornell.edu/imagerecord.php?record=52/)


	4. Pry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is often said that in times of great strife, the only way to unite the people is under the banner of a great hero... or against that of a great evil.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW / CW: This chapter references assault and trauma, and has brief descriptions of it. If this is not something you are comfortable with reading, it's best that you skip this chapter.

**Ten years ago**

“ _Woosh! I waterbent you, you’re dead!_ ”

“ _Arrrgh! Don’t think you can slay me so easily, puny human!_ ”

“ _Swa! Swa! I got you!_ ”

“ _You just fell into my trap! Pew, pew pew! Now all your water is vaporized!_ ”

**Five years ago**

“ _Hey kid!_ ”

“...”

“ _Come on! You’re still mad at me?_ ”

“ _You made me wait, again!_ ”

“ _I’m sorry, they insisted to examine me everywhere after-_ ”

“ _I never see you anymore._ ”

“ _I…_ ”

_*Sigh*_

“ _I’m sorry. Really. But this time it’s different, trust me._ ”

“ _How?_ ”

“...”

“ _Is that… a snowflake?! When did this happen?! Why didn’t you tell me!_ ”

“ _Oh, interested in talking now, eh? Anyway, I was out at practice as usual when suddenly…_ ”

**Three years ago**

_*Slam*_

“ _Hey._ ”

“ _Um… everything alright?_ ”

“ _Same old. Still no bending._ ”

“ _Hairyu, you’re not going to experience a life changing moment of enlightenment from sparring with your master._ ”

“ _I don’t see why not, that’s what happened to you._ ”

“ _Well if you can somehow make a sinkhole happen, then by all means._ ”

“ _Who came up with this ‘act of self-growth’ requirement anyway?_ ”

“ _... I think that’s a longer conversation._ ”

“ _But don’t you think it’s weird that nobody’s found a way around it? I mean, there’s no way those criminal benders can be enlightened, let alone-_ ”

“ _Nope, we are not going there._ ”

“ _But I-_ ”

“ _NO. Trust me, you don’t wanna know. Now go take a bath, we all know how you smell after a training session._ ”

“ _You’re one to talk, Reito._ ”

_*Click*_

“ _That was close._ ”

**Present**

Hairyu was going through the weirdest time in his life.

It began with his brother’s sudden, mysterious correspondences that resulted in whispered readings of letters and fluttering of wings late into the night. At first he had chalked that up to Reito engaging in his regular dalliances, but after a week had passed without any word from him nor visitors hurriedly leaving the quarters, his perplexion grew. The palace was understandably gobsmacked when Reito revealed the identity of his night time communiqué, and then came the indignity of the abridged binding spell. The less said about _that_ , the better.

The midnight conversations did not stop, however, even as the date of the fateful duel neared. And alright, Hairyu would admit that riling Reito up was extremely entertaining, and if that little incident gave him even more reason to bury himself in the archives, then he was not complaining.

When the high had worn off, however, shadows of apprehension descended upon him and their people, which was only further lengthened by Reito’s (another) abrupt decision to go meet up with that Chieftain again for investigation. Hairyu had almost feared the worst when his brother returned, face grim, and summoned an emergency meeting. Heated debate erupted, as was the norm after a revelation that shook people’s entire worldview.

==========

Hairyu’s memory told him thus: it was a regular, windy evening. Half of those present at the meeting had wanted to call a truce upon the war to thoroughly tackle the new demonic threat, others obviously desired to see their inherited task to completion. He remembered that the sky had fallen dark, and the only source of light now came from the fireplace behind their father’s seat. It cast a golden glow on everything, and turned his green tunic into a dark basil shade. Red tapestries hung from the ceiling, and on the wall by the entrance there were horizontal marks that he and Reito had made to show their growths over the years. To this day he still marveled that their parents let them continue that little act of vandalism of the meeting room. There was even a small, crude carving of a snowflake etched next to that one particular line, the year Reito’s bending had awakened. Eventually, it was announced that the meeting be continued the next day, and one by one people trickled out of the room. He and Reito fell into a small bicker on how to pronounce “often”, and he felt utterly spent, tired, just half an hour from the comfort of his bed. 

And that was where his memory ended, where the scroll abruptly cut off, as if cleaved by a violent blade.

He had no choice but to rewatch those memories again and again, until he could even see the texture of the tablecloth in precise details.

==========

Voices. That was what first pierced the hazy cloud in his mind. Indecipherable, of course, but still they brought him a sense of comfort. Voices meant familiarity. Company. Human.

He tried to move, but his body was no match for gravity. He was about to give up and let sleep claim him once more, when a word from the whispers ripped through his consciousness, like a hand yanking away the veil covering his eyes. 

Reito. His brother and best friend. 

Amazing, the power a name can hold.

Blinking with great difficulty, Hairyu forced his eyes open. Sunlight greeted him, streaming through the windows of the infirmary in which he laid. Though he could tell the mattress beneath him was one of high quality, its feeling against his skin was like that of sandpaper. His body was stiff and sore, muscles aching in protest of every movement. A flash of white appeared in his peripheral vision and he noticed, for the first time, a large bandage covering his right cheek. He gave it a tentative poke, and the wound underneath throbbed angrily in response. 

“Prince Hairyu,” a careful voice said to his right. There stood the physician and his assistant, eyeing him with the same apprehension one would regard a baby trying its first steps.

“How are you feeling, your Highness?” 

“Hurt, I guess. And groggy,” Hairyu said, then winced at the grave-like hoarseness of his voice. Instinctively he made a grabbing motion at the nightstand next to him, but it was empty. Odd, water was never farther than an arm’s length from sickbeds. “Can I get something to drink?” 

“Of course, sir,” the physician nodded to his assistant. Moments later, Hairyu was happily gulping down a jug of fresh, soothing water. 

“How long have I been out?” Hairyu asked once his voice had regained some semblance of humanity. 

“Forgive us, your Grace, for we could not determine how long you have been unconscious due to the flood,” the physician said apologetically. “But it has been fourteen hours since we found you.”

Hairyu could not wrap his head around what he heard. _Found_ him? Flood? What were they talking about? And had he truly been sleeping for half a day?

As if sensing his distress, the physician added: “Perhaps you would prefer to have your brother explain the situation to you, your Highness?”

“Yes... Yes, send him in, please,” a trembling note had crept into Hairyu’s voice.

The two men bowed respectfully, then exited through the door. Seconds later, it was flung open again, and in walked Reito, looking the worst Hairyu had seen him yet. His face was shrouded in a tense frown, and dark shadows danced in the circles underneath his reddened eyes. He strode to Hairyu’s bed and stopped a few meters from him, his fingers twitching in an effort to restrain himself. He cast a quick glance over his body, and a cold chill suddenly swept through the bright, sunny room. Struggling to get his breathing under control, he willed the cold away and crossed their distance fully, grabbing Hairyu’s hand in his own.

The younger prince braced himself for answers, but after a few tense seconds it was obvious his brother was waiting for him to make the first move, possibly to reassure himself.

“What happened?”

“What do you remember?”

“Nothing,” Hairyu said, frustrated. He was almost tempted to bang his head against the bed frame to jar some of his memories loose. “At least nothing after the meeting. I remember walking towards the dining hall with everyone, and then… And then I just woke up here.”

“Alright, then we’ll start from the meeting.”

Hairyu listened as his brother described the same night and listed the same names that attended the meeting. However, Reito’s version derived from his own when he mentioned an uneasy feeling that has been weighing on his mind all through the evening, and by the time of its end he had to physically fight the urge to turn his head to look back every few minutes. It finally got to the point where he was sure he had seen a blur of movement down a corridor, and decided to go investigate.

“I told you to go on ahead,” Reito said, voice laden with guilt. “That I’ll just give that hallway a quick check. Nothing was there, of course, and by the time I returned I didn’t see you anywhere, so I just assumed you’d already arrived at the dining hall.”

But there had been no sight of Hairyu at the dinner either. However, even Reito himself was not too worried; their youngest prince had never been fond of attending crowded halls and pleasantries, the number of times he had stayed in his room and dined after everyone were not few. Thus the night carried on as usual until, without so much as a warning rumble, a large chunk of the wall flew open, and water cascaded into the room as if summoned from a great monsoon. 

“I was able to freeze the flood in time, but Lord Alcantade was nearest to the wall. The water crushed his body before he could even drown,” Reito grimaced. “I’ve never imagined such power. Me and a few waterbenders tried to work as fast as we could, but there was just… so much water. The entire west wing of the palace was completely ruined.”

Fear gripped Hairyu’s heart like an eagle’s talons. “My quarters are on the west wing,” he barely whispered. It was surreal that such a mundane fact could hit harder than the most forceful curse.

“How did you find me?” It was not a question about method, and they both knew it.

“Dead center of the destruction, completely unharmed,” darkness flooded Reito’s voice, “save for the rivulets of blood running down the symbol carved into your right cheek.”

==========

_“ON THE SUBJECT OF PRYING_

_It is no obscure knowledge that the ability to manipulate the forces of nature, henceforth referred to as ‘bending’, is one coveted by many. It is also hardly secretive that even if one was born with the embers of talent for the arts, one is ultimately powerless unless those embers were kindled. Brighter than all is the flame that burns within the Self; thus as many a noble hero, erudite scholar, and those frail of arm yet strong of heart confront their own innermost ills and burn away their spiritual shackles, the flame rushes forth from within them and bathes its light on an utterly charmed universe, who now **bends** to the will of the enlightened that impressed it so._

_Few can decipher the origin of the spiritual block on bending, and fewer still can deny its usefulness. It is one thing to live under the rule of a corrupt King, who would disregard kindness and appreciation for the arts in pursuit of his own power. But to languish under the thumb of a despot who cares as little for the laws of nature as he does the laws of his people? Why, a worse torture could scarcely be conceived._

_Nevertheless, as certain as the sun, such is the ambition of Men. There are those who would simply pick the lock when confronted with a sealed vault, so is it truly surprising that one of our world’s most sacred and ancient rules be circumvented as well? Nay. We have all been given unique skills of our own; and it is our right, our **obligation** even, to wield them to the fullest, lest our individual flames fade from memory. Those who unveiled this terrible secret were well within their rights to do so, and this incredible discovery, forbidden though it was, deserves to be recorded and passed down among our other great achievements. A thorough description of the Prying Ritual has been fully documented in this almanac, as much as it pained her author. For despite the undeniable horrors this book will unleash upon history, her creator loved and treasured knowledge above all else.”_ -Excerpt from The Incunabula Arcana, by R.M.D. Brihaim.

==========

“Next question, Prince Hairyu. Has the incident noticeably affected other areas in your daily life?”

“No.”

“Sir, it is _imperative_ that you be completely honest.”

“I am. Because I don’t consider it a part of my life.” 

“I see. Are you aware of all the, shall we say, _observations_ about you, your Highness?”

“Of course I know people talk about me, what kind of question is that?!”

“With all due respect, sir, have you heard any of them face-to-face?”

“You are dismissed.”

==========

“The ground outside was too badly damaged to examine,” their General said, “but judging from the lack of foreign corpses among the dead, it is safe to assume that the culprit was an intruder. Or intruders.”

Unsurprisingly, a meeting had been held as soon as Hairyu was able to carry on with his daily activities. Question followed question, and he diligently answered them all, save for one.

_What happened next?_

_Nothing. I woke up the next day._

His family, at least, had the decency to look miserable.

“Why didn’t they take you?” a Lord said matter-of-factly, his eyes hollow. “If this ritual is as traumatic as you make it out to be, why not just kidnap your Highness when you were weak?”

“We had no concrete explanation,” the King replied before he could, “but it is not too far-fetched to think that they misjudged the full extent of Prince Hairyu’s power, and had to flee when it endangered them as well.”

“Lucky me,” Hairyu said dryly, but a hint of gratitude flashed in his eyes as he looked at his father.

Another Lady opened her mouth to speak, but then stopped short at the sound of a commotion outside. As shouting turned into the clattering of stone against metal, a guard rushed into the room, breathless.

“Your Majesty, you must evacuate! There has been a-”

“Come now, surely I can speak for myself?” said Chieftain Haldorath as he stepped into the meeting room.

A deathly silence descended upon them.

Reito was the first to speak. “How did you get in here?” he asked, his voice as cold as the icy tendrils curling around his fists.

“It’s not like you have a lot of patrols or soldiers at the border anymore,” Haldorath said with a thin smile, “I almost forgot there was still a war.”

All the anger and helpless frustration coiling within Reito finally sprang free, and his hand shot through the air before anyone could react, launching an ice dagger straight at the other man’s throat. Of course, it bounced off him harmlessly.

“Remove him!” his father barked at the guards.

“Please,” Haldorath said nonchalantly. He stomped the ground, and the guards instantly sank into it, leaving only their upper bodies.

“That cruel comment was uncalled for, I admit, but I needed to get your attention,” Haldorath said, extending his hands, palms open and facing up. “All my letters to you in the past few months have been unanswered, letters about _my offer to help your brother_. Please, at least hear me out.”

Reito’s incredulity was at the tip of his tongue, but it was Hairyu’s voice that next cut through the air.

“How… how did you know about me?” he asked, and the vulnerability in his words bit into Reito like vipers. Of all the occasions he had wanted for his brother to first meet the other man…

“I know people, they know people, people talk. The trick is to shut up long enough to listen,” Haldorath’s voice was steady and calm, “which my council is terrible at, so you need not worry about the rest of my people finding out.”

“And just how exactly do you expect us to trust you?” the same Lord from before spoke again.

“Because I know what _that_ -” Haldorath said, drawing out the t- “is. What it means, and where it’s from. I know who was responsible for prying open your bending, and I know how to find them.” He pointed to the scar on Hairyu’s cheek.

Hairyu’s hand instinctively moved up to brush against it. He felt flayed open, bare for uncaring political eyes to freely stare and sneer. Just before he felt he would drown under their scheming scrutiny, Haldorath continued.

“Therefore, King Tegar, I respectfully request a private audience with your crown prince and his brother,” Haldorath said and dipped his head at an odd angle - more than a nod, but not yet a bow.

Chaos erupted. Before it could fully turn into a crescendo, however, a cold gust of air swept across the room, and everyone stopped to eye the elder prince warily.

“Make your case, and do it quickly: why should I extend you my undivided attention?” Reito inquired, the decorum slipping back into his voice with practised ease.

“Deplorable surroundings for such a… sensitive conversation, wouldn’t you agree?” Haldorath said with barely concealed derision. “I have been in here for several minutes, and the only people to keep glancing at Hairyu to check on him are his immediate family. Indeed, only when the juicy topic of gossip came up did any of you bother to look at him, and even then with far more pondering that was appropriate for a _child_ ,” he said the last word harshly, his voice like boulders grinding against each other.

“You cannot fault us for being curious,” said a Lady to Reito’s right.

“Oh, I very much can,” Haldorath replied, challenge seeping into his tone.

“Enough!” said the King.

“Your Majesty?”

“My crown prince knows his brother better than I, loath as I am to admit it. The decision is his,” he said with finality. All turned to look at Reito and Hairyu, the latter locked eyes with Haldorath for what felt like an eternity. Finally, seemingly satisfied with what he found, he gave his brother a tiny nod.

“An audience is granted, I am much too intrigued to bid you leave just yet. Come, we will talk in our study,” Reito said, then stood up and left without another word. With another stomp, Haldorath released the guards and followed the royal siblings.

=========

“Alright, what does that symbol mean?”

“You could have at least welcomed him properly first,” Hairyu said in an attempt to diffuse the tension between the two men. It did not seem to be working. 

“That’s alright, I definitely should not stay here long anyway,” said Haldorath. He produced a small scroll and a map and laid them out on the table in front of them. The scroll seemed to be an alphabet of some sort.

“This is the written language of a distant place across the sea called Nida.” He pointed to the map and the brothers gasped in shock, for this Nida place was easily five times the length of the island that their tribes were warring upon. “The details I will explain later, should you need me to. Anyway, the nobles there would carve or brand their prisoners’ flesh,” he swallowed uneasily, “to mark and show off their victory.”

The implication hanged in the air like a suffocating cloud. Reito wanted nothing more than to drag Hairyu back to their quarters and barricade the door. They had planned to take his brother as a _trophy_?!

“And what… what does this one mean?” Hairyu asked shakily.

With an equally trembling finger, Haldorath pointed at a section of the scroll that he had circled.

**MINE**

Hairyu vomited all over his brother’s clothes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm terrible at drawing, but Hairyu's scar would look pretty much like this: 


End file.
